HELP
I HATE FINALS
03 May 2011
21 April 2011
food for thought
Whew, I haven't been here in a while. Really, I've been so busy that I've barely had a chance to settle down and write anything. Oh, I've felt the need to, but I just didn't have time.
Just came back from Mennonite dinner. Every Thursday evening, Dr Coolidge and her husband host students from Wheaton, and a guest speaker, serving a hearty home-cooked meal and lots of good conversation. Sometimes the guest is a Wheaton prof, sometimes a chapel speaker that week. Today was my first time, and the speaker was Dr Keith Johnson in the BITH department. He had moderated the "Patriots, Pacifists, and Peacemakers" panel discussion the night before. I had to leave almost right after they started, because I was supposed to play for G's lesson, but I'd already been there long enough to know that I want to go back! This is the sort of thinking and learning I want to do, in an organic, unstructured environment, with no lesson plan or end-of-course goals to fill. This will fit in very well with my schedule next year, so I will definitely make an effort to go.
Speaking of last night's panel - that was one fascinating evening. A panel of four profs, ranging from ultra-pacifist to strong proponent of just war, discussed questions such as "Is there such a thing as just war?", "Can a Christian killing another Christian ever be justified?", and "What is the role of a Christian in the military?" I took lots of notes, but I feel like we barely scratched the surface! I encountered terms like "just war tradition" that I've never even heard before. Definitely gave me lots to mull over...these are things that affect me deeply, as now, because of CAP, I have a lot of good friends going into or planning to join the military. Plus I'm glad I didn't jump into ROTC at the beginning of the year now, because I realize I've never thought through these things clearly.
Being a student at Wheaton is about so much more than sitting in a practice room and slaving over homework and trying to stay awake in classes. Even more than late night debates and conversations over Saga meals. There are simply so many rich resources like these lectures and gatherings that I need to take advantage of. I won't have the opportunity to do this once I leave...
13 April 2011
tea-time
A splendor lit through panes of purest glass
Gleams gold upon the worn, old kitchen floor.
Rich beams turn faded rags to cloth of brass
And stream, as though a fog, through open door.
A comfort brought by yeasty, fresh-baked bread
Sleeps quietly in each square inch of space.
The kettle steams and sings with heart and head
Promising tea, for care it will efface.
This is the amber shadow time that veils
The longing to express mere discontent.
This is the misted silvery time that sails
Through frantic minds rendering impotent.
Come, leave your load and rest you for a while–
Nought else but hope remains in heart’s exile.
Gleams gold upon the worn, old kitchen floor.
Rich beams turn faded rags to cloth of brass
And stream, as though a fog, through open door.
A comfort brought by yeasty, fresh-baked bread
Sleeps quietly in each square inch of space.
The kettle steams and sings with heart and head
Promising tea, for care it will efface.
This is the amber shadow time that veils
The longing to express mere discontent.
This is the misted silvery time that sails
Through frantic minds rendering impotent.
Come, leave your load and rest you for a while–
Nought else but hope remains in heart’s exile.
04 April 2011
stuck
Hi, it's me, procrastinating on a paper again. Sorta. I wanted to blog about weekend stuff anyway, so maybe I have an excuse?
I'm halfway into my Facebook fast for Lent. I'm really glad I had daddy change my password, otherwise I know I'd be weak and log on. It's awful, the first few days I gave it up, I almost had minor withdrawal symptoms. I felt mopey and just out of it and would spend time just looking at the FB login page. Yeah, I know, super lame. But doesn't that sound like I was addicted? Yep, it was definitely a good idea to get away from it, if only for 40 days.
Saturday was the Chorale concert. It went quite well, and our audience wasn't as small as I had worried it might be. There were apparently 500+ people at the Glee Club concert last week, but they were in Pierce so the house was packed. Edman, which seats ~2500, would look mostly empty with 500 people. Fortunately they roped off the two side sections and had everyone sitting in the middle so it looked better. :D
We sang quite well, I think. There were some spots where we were still unsure of ourselves, and as always, we could have had more expression and musicality in our singing. Like Dr. H was saying, we had to put on a rich "chocolate" concert, not a bland "vanilla" one. The difference between a women's choir and a men's choir is that men can just put on a tux and everyone will love them, whereas women somehow have to work a lot harder to be as popular. pft. whatever. The motions for No Thank You John went over quite well. I'd been a little "...uh...really?" about them. I thought they were a little lame but the audience seemed to like it, so that was good.
I didn't make any silly mistakes playing for the five Hebrew love songs, so that was good too. Afterwards a guy from my bro floor came up to me and was like, "I didn't know you played the piano until this evening!" Really, cadet, really? LOL I spend my whole day in the conserv...
Then yesterday we had our banquet. It was a splendid evening! Turned out almost better than I could imagine. Do you know, the night before I was subconsciously so worried about it that I had a strange dream about it. Usually the things that show up in my dreams are things that I've been thinking about a lot, whether I know it or not. My dream had something to do with not being able to find a ride, and stormy rain. I have no idea. haha.
I was going to try to get a bit of homework done in between church and getting ready, but I pretty much ended up coming back, napping, and then primping. hehe. such a girl. My hair was what took most of the time. I was wishing for curls, and K kindly offered to do it for me, so she spent an hour on that. But she did an amazing job...I'm really glad with the way it turned out. She has skillzzz :D I wore the red dress I wore for graduation (yay recycling!)
[This darn paper is ruining my life. Not really, but it really sucks to write papers with citations. This is why I am not an English Writing major. Research papers are the bane of my existence. I may or may not make it through the night.
well, I did make it through the night. Stayed up till 3am, and in peer review today C was like "uh...well, I think it doesn't quite answer the prompt..." Shoot me now.
Anyway, to continue the original purpose of the post...
The actual banquet was quite fun, nothing spectacular. We were in the outdoorsy banquet tent of a golf club, similar to biu-goh's wedding reception. Dinner was hearty, good food. We were sitting with K, of course, and Ana and Joy and Manny, who had all brought glee clubbers or concert choir guys. So I felt a bit bad for my and K's dates because neither of them were particularly musical...but A and I had some good conversation. That's why I asked him, you know, because I like talking with him. After dinner we had a slideshow, some fun awards, and the cabinet video, which was a spoof on Ocean's Eleven, because after all, it was casino-themed.
And after that, as at any event where girls get all dolled up, there must needs be oodles of pictures taken! A and A were such good sports to let us and help us take pictures.
Altogether I had a lovely time and this tedious post doesn't do justice to it.
Sometimes I fail at writing. But on with life and school...
I'm halfway into my Facebook fast for Lent. I'm really glad I had daddy change my password, otherwise I know I'd be weak and log on. It's awful, the first few days I gave it up, I almost had minor withdrawal symptoms. I felt mopey and just out of it and would spend time just looking at the FB login page. Yeah, I know, super lame. But doesn't that sound like I was addicted? Yep, it was definitely a good idea to get away from it, if only for 40 days.
Saturday was the Chorale concert. It went quite well, and our audience wasn't as small as I had worried it might be. There were apparently 500+ people at the Glee Club concert last week, but they were in Pierce so the house was packed. Edman, which seats ~2500, would look mostly empty with 500 people. Fortunately they roped off the two side sections and had everyone sitting in the middle so it looked better. :D
We sang quite well, I think. There were some spots where we were still unsure of ourselves, and as always, we could have had more expression and musicality in our singing. Like Dr. H was saying, we had to put on a rich "chocolate" concert, not a bland "vanilla" one. The difference between a women's choir and a men's choir is that men can just put on a tux and everyone will love them, whereas women somehow have to work a lot harder to be as popular. pft. whatever. The motions for No Thank You John went over quite well. I'd been a little "...uh...really?" about them. I thought they were a little lame but the audience seemed to like it, so that was good.
I didn't make any silly mistakes playing for the five Hebrew love songs, so that was good too. Afterwards a guy from my bro floor came up to me and was like, "I didn't know you played the piano until this evening!" Really, cadet, really? LOL I spend my whole day in the conserv...
Then yesterday we had our banquet. It was a splendid evening! Turned out almost better than I could imagine. Do you know, the night before I was subconsciously so worried about it that I had a strange dream about it. Usually the things that show up in my dreams are things that I've been thinking about a lot, whether I know it or not. My dream had something to do with not being able to find a ride, and stormy rain. I have no idea. haha.
I was going to try to get a bit of homework done in between church and getting ready, but I pretty much ended up coming back, napping, and then primping. hehe. such a girl. My hair was what took most of the time. I was wishing for curls, and K kindly offered to do it for me, so she spent an hour on that. But she did an amazing job...I'm really glad with the way it turned out. She has skillzzz :D I wore the red dress I wore for graduation (yay recycling!)
[This darn paper is ruining my life. Not really, but it really sucks to write papers with citations. This is why I am not an English Writing major. Research papers are the bane of my existence. I may or may not make it through the night.
well, I did make it through the night. Stayed up till 3am, and in peer review today C was like "uh...well, I think it doesn't quite answer the prompt..." Shoot me now.
Anyway, to continue the original purpose of the post...
The actual banquet was quite fun, nothing spectacular. We were in the outdoorsy banquet tent of a golf club, similar to biu-goh's wedding reception. Dinner was hearty, good food. We were sitting with K, of course, and Ana and Joy and Manny, who had all brought glee clubbers or concert choir guys. So I felt a bit bad for my and K's dates because neither of them were particularly musical...but A and I had some good conversation. That's why I asked him, you know, because I like talking with him. After dinner we had a slideshow, some fun awards, and the cabinet video, which was a spoof on Ocean's Eleven, because after all, it was casino-themed.
And after that, as at any event where girls get all dolled up, there must needs be oodles of pictures taken! A and A were such good sports to let us and help us take pictures.
Altogether I had a lovely time and this tedious post doesn't do justice to it.
Sometimes I fail at writing. But on with life and school...
02 April 2011
randomosity + procrastination
I would like to be able to say that whenever I lack inspiration, I blog and then, ta-da! I'm able to finish my paper or whatever I'm writing, but unfortunately the is not the case. It's usually more like, I'm really stuck so instead of writing something I don't understand I'll write about me.
Whenever I sit and study in a coffeeshop (I'm at Caribou in downtown Wheaton right now), I feel extremely like a college student. I guess partly because I never did this in high school, though I know plenty of people who did. It makes me feel grown-up in general, simply because I'm on my own, spending my own money. Caribou is a really nice place to study. It's a lot more spacious than the Starbucks, for one. I have to say a lot of their drinks are a little too sugary though. Next time I come I'm probably going to get straight up coffee just to see how it is.
Earlier (I've been here since 1:00 pm), I was typing away, minding my own business, when I happened to look up out the window just as a couple high school guys were walking by. They decided it would be funny if they smiled and waved at me. I was really confused at first because I wasn't sure if I actually knew them. It reminded me of that time at BMC when we all waved at the random girl in the restaurant window. I think she gave us the finger or something, and we gave her the peace sign. good times.
Oh, and then the dudes walked into Caribou and waved at me. weird.
We have our Women's Chorale concert tonight. I'm super-excited...going to be accompanying a set of Hebrew Love Songs. Unfortunately it conflicts with J's gig at La Spiaza. I really wish I could be there to support her...but I'm sure she'll do fine without me.
And then tomorrow is banquet, which I'm really looking forward to as well. I hope it will just be a chill time for me and my date, no awkwardness please! But A's a really nice guy and we have lots to talk about (which is why I asked him, haha!) so it should be good.
On Thursday, we were doing rhythmic dictation in Aural Skills, and one of the kids asked Dr. O if he could demonstrate his shorthand method for us. He finally agreed to do it on the board. I volunteered to play for him. It was hilarious...it's so great that he was willing to do that. He actually got the last note wrong haha. His excuse being that he hadn't done this in a while.
Did I ever say here that I lost my flip flops a week or two back? Well, I did, and it's the strangest thing ever because they're my shower flip flops which I never wear out of the dorm. And now they're just nowhere to be found.
Whenever I sit and study in a coffeeshop (I'm at Caribou in downtown Wheaton right now), I feel extremely like a college student. I guess partly because I never did this in high school, though I know plenty of people who did. It makes me feel grown-up in general, simply because I'm on my own, spending my own money. Caribou is a really nice place to study. It's a lot more spacious than the Starbucks, for one. I have to say a lot of their drinks are a little too sugary though. Next time I come I'm probably going to get straight up coffee just to see how it is.
Earlier (I've been here since 1:00 pm), I was typing away, minding my own business, when I happened to look up out the window just as a couple high school guys were walking by. They decided it would be funny if they smiled and waved at me. I was really confused at first because I wasn't sure if I actually knew them. It reminded me of that time at BMC when we all waved at the random girl in the restaurant window. I think she gave us the finger or something, and we gave her the peace sign. good times.
Oh, and then the dudes walked into Caribou and waved at me. weird.
We have our Women's Chorale concert tonight. I'm super-excited...going to be accompanying a set of Hebrew Love Songs. Unfortunately it conflicts with J's gig at La Spiaza. I really wish I could be there to support her...but I'm sure she'll do fine without me.
And then tomorrow is banquet, which I'm really looking forward to as well. I hope it will just be a chill time for me and my date, no awkwardness please! But A's a really nice guy and we have lots to talk about (which is why I asked him, haha!) so it should be good.
On Thursday, we were doing rhythmic dictation in Aural Skills, and one of the kids asked Dr. O if he could demonstrate his shorthand method for us. He finally agreed to do it on the board. I volunteered to play for him. It was hilarious...it's so great that he was willing to do that. He actually got the last note wrong haha. His excuse being that he hadn't done this in a while.
Did I ever say here that I lost my flip flops a week or two back? Well, I did, and it's the strangest thing ever because they're my shower flip flops which I never wear out of the dorm. And now they're just nowhere to be found.
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